REWRITE Skeleton Life: Restart
by Cecilia Lorehart
Summary: "I want to know what it means...how to swim, how to do many things on my own. I want to know what it means...to breathe beside you."
1. The Start of a Beginning

The mother, Kagamine Yumi, had mentioned who that man was a few times. A 'father,' or in simpler terms, the person who Yumi claimed as the man she "would always love." And for a long time, Rin believed her. They were such a loving couple, always hugging, kissing and saying "I love you" at least once a day. The household would always stir with joy when her mother made an especially delicious dinner and her 'father' brought home small presents for her and Rinto. A very, very big white bow to wear on Rin's head, and a wooden toy train that Rinto could call all his own. Everybody loved each other back then. They lived with love and good hearts.

Unfortunately, those blissful times never lasted.

Rin felt uneasy. It was the first time Father came back late. Everybody was so worried, especially Mother. She was especially concerned, being the one who loved him the most. So much, that she allowed Rin and Rinto to stay up and wait with her. When she was placing the bow on Rin's head, and Rinto was rolling the train on the living room table, Father came home. She yawned and looked up at the clock and asked her brother the time. According to him, it was around midnight, which was much, much later than their usual bed time of nine o'clock. That didn't matter to them though. Father was safe and sound. They didn't need to wonder whether he was missing or not.

Rin sniffed and rubbed her nose. Father reeked of something thick and disgusting, with a bit of a sour scent thrown in the mix.

"Good evening, Yumi..." he muttered in a low, relaxed tone. A wide grin started to spread on his face.

"Where have you been?" she questioned, her anger evident in her voice. Even when she was worried, she could still shout and shriek with fury. Rin and Rinto quickly ran over to him before Yumi could stop them. They both wrapped their arms around his legs, being just a little on the short side. Father ruffled Rinto's hair and picked up Rin, hugging her tightly.

"Sorry, I was out with some of my old friends, and we were catching up," he told her. He turned to Rinto, then to Rin. She tried hard not to cough when he breathed at her. "How's my kids doing?"

"Good, Dad!" Rinto chirped happily.

"Good, Daddy," Rin said. She ignored how Father seemed to be just staring, as if he was daze. He rested his head on her tiny shoulder, feeling slick with sweat and heavy from his fully-grown head.

Suddenly, she was out of his arms, and Rinto was quickly dragged away. Yumi had a protective hold over them, away from Father. She glared at him.

"You're drunk!" she shrieked in a horrified voice. "How could you, in front of your own children?"

_You're drunk_, Rin repeated, not understanding the term. She looked over to Rinto, who seemed to be just as confused as her. Rin silently mouthed the words, "What does 'drunk' mean?"

"...I don't know," Rinto quietly said. "I think it's a bad thing."

Rin felt herself shiver. She didn't want for there to be bad things in the house. It meant that they wouldn't love each other anymore, and everybody would start to yell at each other. Just like how their mother was, right now.

Yumi placed Rin on the floor.

"Rin, Rinto, go to your room," she told them. Seeing the fear on Rin's face, Yumi gave her a soft smile. "Mommy and Daddy are just going to talk, Rin. It's going to be all right. Just go to bed, okay?"

Rin nodded, feeling relieved. "Okay." She took Rinto's hand, and he led her down the hall. The two walked silently down the long hall. Occasionally, she tugged on Rinto's hand when they slowed their pace, reminding him that he needed to stay up to get into bed. They sleepily rubbed their eyes as he opened the door—

_**SLAP!**_

They both immediately froze, the sharp sound still lingering in their ears. They turned to each other, with fear reflecting both on their faces. With great speed, the two of them ran back, still tightly holding onto each others hands. Rinto was ahead, and when he saw the scene in front of him, he quickly tried hiding it from Rin.

"Rin, get back!" he hissed, standing in front of her. Rin kept trying to look to the side, but it was no use. He was blocking every which way she turned.

"But why?" she asked. Rinto started dragging her back, determined. Rin saw her chance and turned back. She widened her eyes at the sight.

"No, Rin—"

'Father,' with a tinted green glass bottle in his hand, had begun to hurt Mother. He slapped her across the face, going on and on. He yelled things she couldn't understand. All of this, he did unrelentingly. Refusing to look at him any longer, she slowly turned to the floor. Yumi laid still there, unmoving. Rin felt tears start to well up in her eyes.

"Rin..." Rinto quietly said. Rin turned around, looking at the ground.

"I'm tired, Rinto," she said simply. She allowed Rinto to pull her back down the hall. When they were back in their bedroom, she pulled off the headband with the bow and put it on top of the toy chest. She slipped under the cold covers and shivered. Tonight would be full of nightmares, she could feel it. Rin closed her eyes and shifted to the side.

Rinto climbed into bed with her, laying by her side. She turned to him.

"Rinto, I'm scared," Rin whispered in a small voice. Rinto pulled back the covers and held her close.

"Me too," he whispered back.

"Will Mommy be all right?"

"Yeah, she will."

"What about Daddy?"

Rinto took a moment to think before answering.

"...Maybe."

.

.

.

For a little while, things went back to the way they were. Even after what happened, Yumi still claimed that she would always love him. She kept making delicious dinners, and Father still brought gifts for them. A white hair clip for Rin, and a charcoal-colored paperboy cap for Rinto. Everybody was back in good spirits. They still laughed together, smiled together, and enjoy each others company. Rin and Rinto could stop worrying. They weren't afraid to sleep in separate beds again. The matter had been forgotten.

Until Father started to bring home those glass bottles, full of unpleasant liquid. Late at night, when Rin and Rinto were in bed, lying awake, the grown man would drink himself drunk. Yumi began to yell at him, for his selfishness and indecency. He would start hitting her again, and shrieks of pain could be easily heard from their bedroom. The sound of slapping slowly turned into kicking, words Rin still didn't understand, and glass bottles breaking. Rinto started sleeping beside Rin again, and the two would close their eyes and pray for the night to pass. Rin had nightmares every time it happened. Rinto held her close, promising her that things would let up soon. Everything would go back to the way it was, and they could stop being scared.

The beating still continued, with no signs of it letting up any time soon. Changes were made around the house. Rinto stopped reassuring Rin, knowing that it was pointless. They both understood that their 'father' would keep up the malicious acts. Yumi, who was now covered in bandages with blood seeping through, began to stop making dinner. Their father no longer brought home gifts for them. Then, one night after another brutal beating, Rinto refused to mention him.

"Rin, he's not our father anymore," he declared. Rin sat on her bed, tightly clutching a stuffed bunny.

"Yes he is," Rin stated. "Mommy said she's married to him."

"He's not our dad to us anymore," Rinto explained. "We can't him call him 'Dad' or 'Daddy' or 'Father' now. That guy doesn't love us or Mom. He's hurting her too much, and she won't do anything to stop it! You remember, don't you?"

"...Yeah," she muttered sadly. He picked up Rin and cradled her in his arms. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in the bunny's ears. Her face grew hot.

"I'm sorry for bringing that memory up," he comforted quietly. She sniffled, her nose feeling clogged. "I forgot how much that scared you."

"I...want...Mommy," she cried. "I don't want her to be sad anymore!"

"Mom's strong, even if she doesn't seem like it," the older sibling told her. "I believe that she'll stop this soon enough. You know that, don't you?"

She nodded solemnly. "If we can't call him our dad anymore, what will we call him?"

"_That man_," Rinto answered. "He's a stranger to us now."

.

.

.

That was when she was just four-years-old, Rinto was six and a half, and their mother was twenty-nine. Now, she had aged to four and a half, and Rinto would soon turn seven. Rin looked up to her mother and brother. Yumi stood strong, refusing to back down. Her hands were at her sides, curled into fists. She spoke in a manner that the little girl never heard before. Her mother oozed toughness and bravery as she seemed to finally stand up for herself. Rin turned to Rinto, who glared at 'Father' with all of his might. He tightly held onto her tiny hand, as if she would disappear the moment he let go. Occasionally, her older brother nodded with their mother's words. Rin didn't understand what to do. All she knew was that the man was getting kicked out, and things maybe, just maybe, start going back to normal.

.

.

.

"_I'm sorry," he said, looking apologetic. He placed a gentle kiss on Yumi's forehead. "I'll always love you."_

"_Don't touch me," she hissed at him._

_He ruffled Rinto's hair, who immediately fixed his hair. If the man was hurt, he did not show it. Instead, he kissed the top of Rin's head and patted it. He smiled when the little girl blankly looked at him. He left the three, setting out on his own._

"_He's gone," Yumi muttered to herself. Rin looked up at her. Her mother's hands were curled into __shaking fists, as if desperate to punch him, something, or anything. "He's finally gone."_

.

.

.

When the man had left, her mother and brother stared to tear up. Rin tilted her head and stared questioningly to them. She tugged on Rinto's sleeve.

"Rinto," she said, looking at him now. "Hey, Rinto."

He sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "What is it, Rin?"

"Why are you and Mommy crying?" she asked. "Are you both sad?"

Rinto paused, confusing Rin. He allowed a few tears to drip onto the dirt ground before continuing.

"Actually, not at all," he said, choking up. He suddenly bent over, coughing and choking all at once. His tears trickled down his cheeks and quickly splattered to the ground. Rin slowly patted his back and turned to Yumi.

"Mommy, are you sad?"

"Oh...Rin, dear, I'm not sad," her mother said in a quiet voice. She loudly blew her nose and ushered the two siblings into the house. "I'm just so happy that he's gone."

Rin flinched as the door behind them slammed shut. She turned to Rinto, who seemed to be unaffected as he allowed a steady flow of tears stream down his face. Rin tugged on his sleeve. He wiped his eyes and turned to Rin, a small smile on his face. Together, they both slowly moved through the hall. She opened the door and led Rinto inside. From there, he quickly dived onto his bed and buried his face into the pillows. A loud, muffled cry was heard. Rin felt a small tug in her chest and quickly stepped back. For some reason, she felt as though she wasn't supposed to be here at all. Watching Rinto cry, witnessing their mother cry... There was too much sadness and grief in this household. So Rin left the room and quietly closed the door, letting Rin have some time to himself. As she turned, she faintly heard the wailing sounds from Rinto. Rin felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Her heart slowly started to accelerate its beating.

"Why..." she heard her mother snivel from the kitchen. There was a pause as she heard the older woman whimpered. Rin silently tip-toed over to the wall and peeked. She impatiently brushed away a stray tear. "Why did you hurt us? Do you hate your family that much? I wish I had never met you..."

Rin watched with wide eyes as her mother stood up and walked to the cabinet. She sniffed and smelled the distasteful stench of that funny stuff the man occasionally drank. It was too thick, with whatever he added made it sour-scented as well. In her mother's hand was the same thing: A tall, tinted green glass bottle with its contents swishing around. The woman popped off the cap and held it up to her lips, slowly tilting the liquid towards her.

Rin turned away and dashed down the hall, heading straight for her and Rinto's room. She entered inside, where Rinto had finally calmed down and fell into a deep sleeping. She switched her skirt for a pair of grey shorts, put on socks and boots, and took Rinto's charcoal-colored paperboy hat. Rin then left for the room where she and that man slept in. She swung open the door, somewhat caring about the slightly loud volume, especially since it was near Yumi. Her eyes quickly zoned in on the fluffy white rug to the right of the large bed. Seeing it triggered a small memory in her head...

.

.

"_Daddy, what's that?" she asked, pointing to a wooden trap door under the rug. He quickly placed it back and pressed a finger to his mouth, the universal sign to keep a secret._

"_It's Daddy's secret hall under the house," he told her. "Don't tell your mother."_

.

.

She turned it over, revealing the same wooden trap door. Rin was about to open it until she remembered the darkness and dampness of the hallway. Rin walked over to the side of the dresser and pulled on the secret compartment, pieces of wax with bits of wick rolling down. A golden candle holder slid on the top piece. Inside the holder were two rocks. She pulled it out, along with the tallest candle. Rin carefully placed the candle upright as she walked back to the trap door. She put the candle holder on the floor and hit the rocks together, hoping for a spark.

_Clack, clack, clack!_

_Sizzle..._

Aha! The candle was burning now!

Rin picked up the rocks and tossed them back in the compartment. She closed it, picked up the candle holder, and was careful _not_ to blow out the burning flame. She placed the rug on the trap door before she pulled the door over her head.

_**SLAM!**_

Now, she was encased in the cold, dark hallway under the house. The small flame was all she had left for a light source. Hopefully, it would be enough.

_Drip... Drip... Drip..._

Rin dragged her fingers on the stone-covered wall. She clung tightly to the handle, wishing for something to fill the silence. She felt herself shiver as her mind whirled back time, remembering how the man would get in a fitful rage after he drank the stuff. She didn't know what was in it, but she assumed it was a drink that made people cranky. (Although, why people would want a drink like that, she didn't understand herself.) Rin didn't dare to close her eyes, knowing that more darkness would bring the memories to life. The glass bottles crashing to the floor, the furious slaps to Yumi, Rinto and herself holding each other close as they tried to ignore the painful resounding voices. The bloody wounds on her mother's arms and legs, the thick, red substance that seeped through the bandage cloths...

_Pit, pat, pit, pat. Pit, pat, pit, pat._

She felt her tears splash onto the stone ground. Her face was burning hot, and suddenly, it was getting harder to breathe. Rin carefully placed the candle holder on the floor and sat across from it. She sniffled, her nose now clogged. She wiped her face with her sleeve and put her cheek against the wall. It felt freezing cold, but soothing to the touch. Rin slowly closed her eyes, trying to think of a better memory. Unfortunately, her mind refused to let matters slide. Her stomach flipped around as the memories slid into her thoughts. But, instead of the moments of pain she recalled, Rin started to remember the times when Rinto left the house to go play, or when that man got to eat out every once in a while. Strangely enough, there was a feeling associated with these memories she remembered. What was it called?

….Ah yes.

She remembered the small, disparaging feeling of jealousy that hid inside her heart. She didn't know why she felt this way, all hot and burning up. It seemed to burst through any weather barriers, even if it was a cold winter's day and the wind was a little strong. Rin knew that seeing Rinto go outside to go to a place called school, or the man getting to leave while she and Yumi stayed home always seemed to trigger this. She didn't understand why. It was a feeling unknown to her, and because of that, she felt so scared, so frightened.

Rin did know this: While Rinto and the man left daily, she and her mother seldom left the house. And when they did, it was usually to buy food for meals or cloth for sewing and so on.

.

.

_-Several minutes later-_

.

.

"Ah..." Rin breathed. There was a small, shining light near the end. She would be gone from this dank and dark world in just a few moments... But not soon enough. Her feet, as if acting on its own accord, began to speed up, refusing to stay here any longer. She covered the flickering flame with the palm of her hand, even if the outside world was just out of her grasp.

_Step step step step step step—_

"Hello..." Rin whispered, opening the trap door. The afternoon sun shined in her eyes as she blew out the candle. She tossed the candle holder and the shrunken bit of candle to the side. The ground below her feet were covered in green, green grass. Trees, thick with green leaves, surrounded her, and in the distance was a river and a stone bridge. Farther ahead, there was a large building that she never saw before. _I think I will go and explore now,_ she decided. Rin put on the hat and tentatively took a few steps. The dirt felt uneven and lumpy.

Rin loved it.

She ran around to the front of the house. There were dirt paths and other houses and other kids her age playing around. There was an occasional man or woman walking by. A brown cat meowed and quickly scattered. Rin widened her eyes, trying to take in her surroundings. No matter how many times she entered this large, outside world, she never stopped being amazed by it. Things were so different in this place outside her home. There were more people, _different_ kinds of people, and they all seemed to be content with their lives. All of the kids looked as if they were friends. Would they let her join in, or would they turn her away?

"Hi," a voice suddenly said. Rin jumped and fell on her behind. She looked up to see a boy, probably around her age. He had blue eyes like hers, and blond hair too, except his was tied into a tiny ponytail. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you."

Rin slowly nodded, aware of the sudden tension in the air. The blond boy held out his hand, and Rin did not hesitate to take it. He pulled her up, and she saw that he was just a little bit taller than her. She took a good look at his face and couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity... Was it just her, or did they both look alike? If there was one thing she was completely sure of, it was that she only had one brother.

"Are you new here? I've never seen you before," he asked. Rin shook her head, noting how calmly he spoke. "My name's Len. What's yours?"

"Rin," she simply replied. Remembering her manners, she added, "Thank you for helping me up."

"It's no problem," Len told her. He looked over to the house behind her. "Is that your house?"

"Yeah," Rin said.

"My house is down there," he explained, pointing down the road opposite of the river. "It's kinda far, so I guess that's why I haven't seen you before. I'm on this side of town because my parents are talking with my friend's parents."

"Oh," Rin said, somewhat dejectedly. Len tilted his head in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"...I don't know, really. It's kinda weird."

"Well, if you find out, you can tell me," he told her. "I'll listen."

And for that reason, Rin decided to trust this boy wholeheartedly. She nodded her head and gave him an honest-to-goodness smile.

"...Okay."

Len nodded as well. "Okay."

A smile slowly widened on his face.

"Leeeen~!" Rin heard a high-pitched voice yell. She turned her head to see a girl with blond hair as well, but it was longer and tied high up into a side ponytail, barely just below her shoulders. Instead of blue eyes, hers were a golden yellow. She stopped at Len's side and plopped down, breathing heavily.

"This is Neru," Len explained. "She's my best friend."

"Hi...nice to meet...you..." Neru huffed. "Sorry...just kinda...tired..."

Rin nodded, avoiding her gaze at the cuts on Neru's legs, the angry red marks on her face that slightly puffed up. She couldn't help but feel curious though. What had happened to this girl? Was there a man who hit her mommy too? Did he start hitting her as well? She couldn't help but feel sick to the stomach, her mind tempted to relive those memories.

"I'm Rin," she said, keeping her tone at a normal level. Neru finally managed to catch her breath and looked up at her. Rin gave a shy smile.

"Hey, I'm Neru, like he said!" Neru exclaimed brightly, shocking Rin for a moment. She could be so happy, despite the wounds on herself? "What's up? How are you?"

"Um...not much," Rin answered. "I'm feeling fine."

Neru nodded, as if understanding this. She was about to continue, until two voices from far away beckoned them to come back. Len and Neru looked at each other with disappointed looks.

"Aw, what? We were just making a new friend too!" Neru whined loudly.

"We can see her again," Len said. Neru nodded, but she pouted anyway He patted her shoulder consolingly before she started to stomp back. He turned to Rin.

"I guess you have to go now," Rin stated, her face void of expression.

"Yeah," Len agreed, "but I'll see you some other time, right?"

_...I would see him again?_ Rin questioned. _I can see him soon?_ She knew that the possibilities were highly unlikely, especially given the circumstances at home. It would be impossible now, and she would never see them again, maybe forever. They might go away, just like that man did. Never to be seen again.

But that didn't mean it would happen.

"Right!" she suddenly exclaimed. "It's a promise!"

"It's a promise."

The two shook right hands and repeated their promise. Len then quickly ran off, following the side ponytail girl. Before he was completely out of sight, he turned back to look at Rin. The two smiled at each other one last time before he was no longer to be seen. Rin looked at her hand, then looked up into the distance, where Len's receding figure had disappeared. They made a promise, and Rin would keep it, no matter what.

"It's a promise," Rin repeated. She turned back and headed straight for the front door. It was no use going back underground. She had nothing to produce a spark with, and the candle had been reduced to a mere stub. She turned the door knob, and surprisingly, it opened. she walked inside and quickly closed the door behind her. When the little girl turned back, she was shocked by the scene in front of her.

The glass bottle was held in Yumi's hand, but she did not raise it. In fact, it wasn't even near her face at all. Instead, its contents were spilling into the sink, going, going...gone. The liquid had disappeared into the drain, never to be seen again. She turned to the door, placing the bottle beside the sink. Rin examined her mother's face. Her eyes were red from crying, and her cheeks were tear-stained.

"Rin, why were you outside?" the mother asked. "I didn't notice you walk out earlier."

"I was making a friend," she answered. "Mommy, what are you doing?"

"If you're going to be outside, you have to tell me first," Yumi said. "I don't want you disappearing."

"Okay, Mommy," Rin said. "What are you doing?"

"Oh...I'm throwing out these drinks," the mother told her. She took out two more bottles from the cabinets, opened them, and started dumping the liquids down the sink. "We don't need them anymore."

"I see," Rin replied. "...Mommy?"

"Yes, Rin?"

"Do you still love Rinto and me?"

Yumi placed the bottles beside the sink and turned to her. Rin looked up at her with big eyes, silently pleading for an answer.

_Now that that man is gone, will you stop making delicious meals for us? Will you stop loving us because he's not here anymore? Are you going to end up like him too and leave us?_

"I'll always love you and Rinto. I promise. Now, what do you think about spending the day outside?"

Rin smiled. "Okay."

* * *

><p><strong>YO, READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE HERE.<strong>

YES, PEOPLE, THE TRUTH HAS ARRIVED! This is Skeleton Life...REWRITTEN!

I'll be honest, I was very worried about putting this up. I knew that I had left you guys at the WORST POSSIBLE STAND STILL IN THE ORIGINAL STORY. To be frank though, I hated how the original story was going, and so, I have decided to rewrite it.

All right, you may start yelling at me now. -drops head in shame-

Also, please review?


	2. Staying Inside

Rin didn't notice this at first, but it seemed as though Yumi was intent on keeping her _and_ Rinto inside the house as much as possible. She didn't understand this, especially after the three of them spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside several days ago. She couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with that man... But that couldn't be it, could it? He was already gone before they went outside, even if it was on the same day. Was there something she just couldn't figure out?

_We had a lot of fun,_ the little girl thought. So why did their mother insist on keeping them inside? Didn't they enjoy their time out in the sun? Didn't Yumi laugh when they made a few jokes? Were the smiles Rin saw just in her imagination?

What happened to the good times of them enjoying life?

.

.

.

"Rinto, what are you doing?" Rin asked. Her older brother tossed the toy truck out of the window. He quickly ran over with great urgency, although she couldn't understand why. She especially didn't understand the reason he threw out the truck from that man. Wouldn't it be a waste to throw away? Rin still had her hair bow and clip.

"I don't need it anymore," Rinto muttered stiffly, turning back. "I don't want it now."

"But why?" she asked again. He walked over and patted the top of her head. Rin noticed that, even though he smiled, the expression on his face seemed so...

"It's nothing."

...Sad.

_But why?_ Rin still wanted to know. _Don't you like the truck? It's still nice, isn't it?_

She refrained from asking any more questions. For some reason, she had a feeling that Rinto wasn't up to answering right now.

.

.

That night, Rin quietly crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her. Rinto had fallen fast asleep in the other bed, snoring lightly. She glanced over at her older brother, wishing for a moment to join beside him and sleep. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen. That man was gone, and nothing in this house was going to hurt them. Their mother was sound asleep with no worries. The place was safe now. There was no reason for her to be beside him this time. So, with a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep.

.

.

"_Wake up," a familiar person whispered._

_She obediently opened her eyes. A silhouette towered over the little girl, tall and commanding. White, almond-shaped spots on the head represented its eyes, and a thin line for the mouth. Sharp edges around its head indicated that there was some hair there. The person smiled, baring sharp fangs. The little girl immediately recoiled back._

_The silhouette laughed as it slowly changed, forming into the shape of that person who caused all of Mother's pain before. The person who caused despair for the family. The one person who Rin could no longer refer to with that term anymore, even if he truly was their male parent. And despite the good things he had done in the past, she wasn't going to let him apologize, not now._

_'Father.'_

_He walked slowly towards her, eerily, silently. He took careful steps, as if each one could cause the floor to crumble within a second. Rin felt her throat close up as she deeply tried to inhale. A small flow of air tickled her throat, causing her to cough. She quickly turned around to flee, instead, she found a white wall that blocked her path. The little girl turned to the left and right, but it was useless. Her attempts to flee were in vain; everywhere she turned, a barrier had been set up. There was nowhere to run. There was nowhere to hide. Rin turned to him, who advanced towards her with a sinister grin._

_She was like a pet bird, trapped in a cage with no way to escape._

"_Now, come over here," he commanded. The man frowned when she defiantly refused. "Rin, come over here."_

_She shook her head. There was no way this man could force her to do anything._

_He sighed, full of disappointment. His foot took a step towards her, slowly. Then, in a mere second, he picked the little girl up and held her up high. Rin quickly began to struggle. She turned this way and that, slapped his hands, try to punch his arms, anything to jump down and run as far as she could. Her body felt cold, his hands similar to that of ice. Her heart beat sped up its pace as she tried to wrench herself free. She arched her head around, looking for Rinto, or Mother. They were always here, by her side. They would help. Always._

"_**Mother! Rinto!**" Rin shrieked painfully. Her throat suddenly felt constricted, as if something was choking her. Except that she was still being held up high; the man crushing her small waist. She tried to yell. She took a deep breath, and began to scream. "**Help**—!"_

_An unknown object suddenly lashed out from behind. It wrapped around her waist instead of his hands, tightly gripping her. She coughed harshly, the breath so quickly knocked out of her. She looked down and watched the man begin to transform. He slowly turned into the person who was always in a drunken stupor at home, the man who beat her mother and made his children suffer. A half-filled glass bottle was at his side, tightly clenched in his hand. The familiar scent of that disgusting liquid filled the air, causing Rin to plug her nose with her hand. She squeezed her eyes when she saw him moving closer, a sick smile pasted onto his face._

Mother, Rinto, _Rin prayed._ Will you find me soon?

"_You'll stay here with me," the man icily told her. His voice was smooth, inviting, like a spider calling a fly to its web. Rin tried, as hard as she could, to gather up enough air. When she couldn't take in anymore, she let out her scream._

_Her voice was nowhere to be found._

.

.

_**The sound of glass shattering reverberated throughout her head.**_

.

.

"Rin...Rin..." somebody whispered urgently. "Wake up."

Rin immediately sat up, covering her eyes with her arm. She listened to her breath and felt her forehead with her free hand. She was breathing heavily, and her forehead was slick with cold sweat. Her throat still felt constricted, held by fear. The little girl fell back, covering her face with the blanket instead. She felt relieved, glad that everything..._was just a dream._ That man wasn't real, and the walls that trapped her were imaginary. Fake. Illusions created by her small mind. And yet, it still felt so...real. She could practically still hear that man's voice.

"_You'll stay here with me."_

Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and she began to choke. Her breath sped up, with irregular, harsh breathing. She touched her face, then quickly stopped. Rin was barely touching her cheeks, but she could already feel the heat emanating off her skin, even with her face wet with tears. She attempted to fan herself, but it was useless; all the little girl could do was curl up under the covers and hope things would get better. Rin ignored the hand trying to find its way through. All Rin wanted was to just cry, and maybe, never go to sleep again. If that was what the night brought into her dreams, there was no way she could rest anymore. She would be frightened to death.

The hand tugged at the blanket insistently. Rin roughly pulled it back, rubbing her wet face with the fabric. She buried her face in it, but it was pried from her hands in an instant. When she looked up, Rinto's dimly-lit face towered over her. The room was dark, barely lit with a stub of a candle in the corner of the room.

"Rin," he whispered, that same urgent tone apparent in his voice. "Are you all right? You were screaming in your sleep."

"I was...screaming?" Rin breathed quietly. Had she really yelled in her dream then? Was there really a sound she heard before, or had it been honestly fill with nothing but silence? She strained to remember, but the dream had quickly faded away by now. There was nothing to recall at all, except that single phrase by _that man._

"You were," Rinto answered. He picked her up and placed her on his lap, holding her as if she were a newborn. He adjust his arms so that they held Rin's head correctly. "Rin, did you have any nightmares? Scary dreams?"

"_You'll stay here with me."_

Rin promptly began to cry again, remembering how cold he sounded, how uncaring he was. A light rain of tears poured down her face, wetting her shirt and making her neck cold. She shivered, burying her face into his shirt. Rinto held her still, letting her cry out her nightmare.

"It...it was so _scary!_" she shrieked loudly. Her voice cut off, and she paused to cry again. She couldn't help but feel so tired, so worn out... Her shoulders went limp, and her head rested on his chest. All of her physical energy was lost on her, released through the tears she shed. "T-the man, he was there, a-and, he was going to h-hurt me... Just like he hurt Mommy!"

Rin broke down, feeling more worn out than before. Even though she was feeling at her lowest, her voice still rang out throughout the room, loud and clear. She remember _that_ _part_ of the dream now: Her voice couldn't be heard when she screamed. Silent as the night, nothing would be heard from her mouth, no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't help but feel worried about that particular moment. It was as if everything had ceased to work for her, and she would disappear any moment. Her older brother pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. He held her head and cradled her like a newborn.

"Shhh..." he whispered softly. "It's all right, Rin, you're safe. It was just a dream."

The tear slowly started to relent. Steady tears trailed down the sides of her face as she looked up at him. Rinto smiled gently, shining brighter than the candle.

"Rinto, do you think I woke up Mommy?" Rin asked in a low voice. Her brother shook his head.

"No. I suspect that she's deep in sleep right now."

"Okay, good."

"You didn't want to wake her up?"

"Uh-huh."

Rinto patted her head.

"I'll sleep with you tonight. That way, the nightmares won't come back and you won't get scared," he told her, laying the little girl down beside him. He placed the blankets back on them and rested his head. Rin quickly crawled under his arm, and Rinto held her there. She closed her eyes, hoping the same nightmare wouldn't occur twice."Don't worry, Rin. I'm here to protect you. Always."

"You will...?"

"I promise."

"...Thank you, Rinto."

Rin quietly hoped in her head. When she fell asleep again, she hoped that the night would give her a comforting dream this time. Something kind, gentle, just like Rinto. She wanted a dream of good thoughts this time.

* * *

><p>THE 2ND CHAPTER IS HERE!<p>

I AM SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! Seriously, I am!

This one is short, by about 2,000 words. I'm kinda disappointed in myself. ._.

All right guys, more bad news. To keep up the quality of the chapters, I won't be able to update _every week._ Instead, I will update **every 2 weeks.** Besides, you know what they say! "Quality over quantity," right?

I promise to make sure I deliver high-quality chapters, so please keep reading!

-CECILIA


	3. Surprise

I'M SORRY FOR BEING LATE AGAIN STUFF CAME UP PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

* * *

><p><em>Three days later...<em>

"Have a wonderful day, Rinto," their mother said, ruffling Rinto's hair. "Make sure you come straight home."

"I know, I know!" Rinto sighed exasperatedly, batting away her fussing hands. He shook his head, his messy hair a little worse than before. Yumi squeezed him for a moment, then knelt down and turned the side of her head. Reluctantly, he gave her a peck on the check. To his little sister, Rinto gave a hug, not too tight, not too soft.

"Bye, Rinto," Rin said. He nodded.

"Rin, I'll see you when I get home," Rinto told her, adjusting the white bow on her head until it was in its perfect position. He spread out his arms, and Rin quickly wrapped her arms around him. They hugged for a short time, then let go. Her older brother patted the top of her head, and he jumped out the door. Two other boys, one with pink hair, one with red hair, waited patiently, bags slung over their shoulders like Rinto. He waved to Rin, who quickly returned it, and ran off with the two boys. She closed the door, feeling that small, familiar twinge in her chest.

_I wonder what school is,_ she questioned, looking over to her mother. The older woman shuffled to the pantry, checking the stock of food. From the look on Yumi's face when she pulled her head out, there wasn't very much to cook for tonight's dinner. _Hm...I guess I'll ask Mommy later. It looks like we'll go to the market now._

.

.

"Mommy," Rin began. She walked side-by-side with Yumi, holding her hand and carrying a small bag of oranges in the other.

"Yes, Rin?" her mother asked, turning her head back towards the shops, most likely wondering if there was anything she missed. "What is it?"

"What's school?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about," Yumi firmly replied. "Why?"

"I wanted to know, Mommy. So what is it?" Rin repeated, clearly not tuning into her mother's warning tone.

Yumi froze, immediately stopping mid-step. Her little daughter slowed down a little late and looked up at the older woman with a curious look. Rin couldn't help but feel a bit frightened at her mother's face. She didn't know why, but the tired, yet furious look reminded her of something familiar... Just what was it? The solemn expression? The dark eyes with no shine?

"_Shut up, you stupid, worthless woman!"_

Rin felt her throat tighten, the air around her suddenly colder than it should be. She could have sworn she just heard the sharp sound of a slap reverberate in the distance. The little girl quickly turned her head this way and that, but there were no signs of a fight beginning to brew, or a man's drunken screech. She blinked her eyes. Everything was just in her imagination.

"Rin, are you feeling well?" her mother's voice asked, loudly breaking the silence. Rin looked up at the older woman, whose face had returned to its usual smile and glittering eyes,

_...I guess I won't think about it for a little bit,_ she decided. Already her mind was casting away thoughts of 'school' in the dark depths of nothingness. She wouldn't bring it up for a while, if it meant her mother wouldn't smile anymore. Rin wanted her to smile. It meant people were happy, that they weren't thinking bad thoughts. Everything would be fine, just like before.

"I'm all right, Mommy!" Rin chirped brightly, smiling wide.

Even if it _he_ wasn't here.

.

.

_Several days later..._

.

.

When Rin stared at the person in front of her, she couldn't believe her eyes. She felt as if time slowed down, her movements moving as fast as a turtle, her vision a little blurred. The little girl couldn't breathe, couldn't talk, and could barely move a single muscle.

_He was here. _In her own house. Standing in her hall way. A mess of questions swirled around in her little head. So many she wanted to ask, so many that probably wouldn't be answered. And yet, she still wanted to wonder. _What are you doing here? Did you come all the way to see me? Are you real, or are you fake?_

What a strange turn of events for this to happen.

"Hi, Rin," Len calmly said, waving at her. Rin stared at the familiar, blond boy with disbelief, almost tempted to drop her jaw. She lifted her hand to her forehead, the way her mom did to check for fevers. _Is that really you?_ "How are you?"

"Hello, dear," a woman greeted, entering the household. She looked a little like Len, but her long, flaxen hair was curly and loose, and she was dressed in a plain, light-colored blouse with dark pants. The little girl decided that this was probably Len's mother, and in the mother's arms was a little girl, probably about one or two years old. Her head had a lighter shade of blonde hair on her hair that was almost covering her neck.

"H-hello," Rin replied shyly. She immediately jumped when she heard her own mother's voice ring out.

"Yua! How are you?" the woman cried, walking over to the other adult.

"Oh, Yumi, it's wonderful to see you again! I'm doing well, and so is my little son here! Len, say 'hi'," Yua replied enthusiastically, nudging Len towards them. The little boy bowed and whispered his greeting.

"Is that your daughter in your arms?"

"Yes! Her name's Lenka, and she just turned two!"

"Oh, she's so precious! Why don't we let the children play in the living room? We can watch them over here..."

Rin and Len were hurried to the floor, while the two mothers sat nearby at the dinner table. Yumi opened the curtains, letting the late noon sun radiate in the house. Rin stared at her knees, feeling particularly embarrassed about Len and his sudden appearance in _her_ home. She couldn't help but look up, due to her childish curiosity, and found that he was mostly just looking around the room.

"I like your house," he said simply. Len turned to her, staring straight at her face. Rin felt her cheeks burn as she rested her chin on her knees. "It's nice."

"...Thank you," she said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "How's Neru?"

"She's fine. She keeps asking her parents to visit you, and they won't let her," Len replied. "By the way, did you ever find out what was wrong?"

"Huh?"

"Remember what we said before?"

Rin's memory processed the moment, projecting the image in her mind.

"_What's wrong?"_

"_...I don't know, really. It's kinda weird."_

"_Well, if you find out, you can tell me," he told her. "I'll listen."_

"Ah, that," Rin muttered. Len nodded. "Um..."

To tell, or not to tell? That was the question. While it would be nice to tell somebody about the events that occurred in her house, Rin wasn't sure if it was appropriate to actually relay the happenings to another person outside the family. Plus, just _thinking_ about..._him_, was enough to cause Rin to search her surroundings. How was she supposed to recall the worst memories she knew if they were going to give her nightmares for weeks to come?

_Maybe it would help, talking about what happened_, a small place inside her whispered. _You never know._

"Rin?" Len asked. She looked out the window, staring out at the bright sky.

_It won't hurt to try, would it?_

_Maybe..._ Rin thought. _But would it really be okay?_

"I...don't know if I should tell you," she quietly told him. "It's really bad."

He got up and pulled her farther away from the two mothers. They plopped down, almost to the wall, and Rin noticed that he blocked her view of Yumi and Yua.

"I won't tell," Len whispered back. "You can trust me."

Rin considered this for a moment. He didn't _seem_ like he was the type to blab secrets around. Unfortunately, the thing with kids the same age as her—as far as Rinto has told her—was that "looks are deceiving." Anybody could tell people what happened, no matter who they were, even if they seemed to be the most trustworthy person in the world. Rin didn't understand was "trustworthy" mean, or what the phrase "looks are deceiving" talked about, but she understood that she had to be careful. Even Len could be one of those people who tell everybody.

"I promise," Len added. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"...You're really, really, really promise?" Rin asked.

He nodded. This was enough for Rin. The two hooked pinkies and recited the oath ("Cross my heart, hope to die, I'll swallow a thousand needles if I lie.") that all little kids seemed to know by heart. Then, in a hushed voice, Rin quickly told Len the story. The drunken state her father was in, the yells and the beatings, even the small tidbits of memories when her father seemed normal, like the hidden corridor under the house. To her own surprise, she had hardly broke down at all. No tears threatened to appear, her voice sounded stable and calm, and overall, she was...perfectly fine. Occasionally, she checked over his shoulder, making sure the adults didn't eavesdrop on her explanation. As for Len, he attentively listened to every word, never saying a thing. He didn't question anything to confirm, probably since this was something that Rin wouldn't dare joke about.

"That's all," she finally finished, feeling slightly fatigued and out of breath. She cleared her throat and sank against the wall, pulling her knees to her chest.

"...I'm sorry," he whispered quietly. Rin rested her head on her knees and just stared at him. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, I guess," Rin said. "It's fine, now that he's gone. Everybody's happier now, and I am too."

"You are?"

"Yeah. Nobody hits Mommy anymore, and nobody yells. It's peaceful."

"Well, as long as you're happy, but..."

"But?"

"It's kinda sad, you know? I would miss my dad if he left, even if he was a bad guy."

"You would? Why?"

"Well, I would have missed him because I would remember how nice he was, before he turned bad."

.

.

After Rin finished recalling everything, they both decided to change topics and talk about other matters. She learned that Len's dad worked as a butcher, a man who sold meat (as far as Len knew), and that his mother used to be a seamstress. Len didn't ask anything at Rin, knowing that she had already spilled enough details with the memories. Soon after, the guests had left, but before they did, Rin and Len pinkie-promised one more time to never tell about the story _to anybody._ After that, Len and his two family members went home. Rin then retired to the couch and replayed the moments in her mind, trying to decide if she was devastated from telling the truth, or if she was relieved to finally tell somebody.

_I guess I'll be all right,_ Rin thought. _It was fine, and Len didn't ask about it._

.

.

"Mother!" Rinto belted out as he entered the household later that afternoon. Rin's head rose up at his voice, smiling at his arrival. _Play time!_

"Welcome home, Rinto," Yumi called from the kitchen. The faint smell of chicken broth heating up wafted into the adjacent living room. Rin caught herself drooling from the delicious smell and quickly wiped it on her sleeve. She quickly stood and ran over to him.

"Welcome home!" Rin shouted, squeezing him as hard as she could, which, frankly, wasn't very hard at all. Her older brother laughed and picked her up, spinning her around like a merry-go-round. She waved her arms around and grinned. Her hair flew around her face, the bow in her hair flapping up and down.

"Rinto, wasn't there something you were going to tell me?" their mother asked loudly. "You called me with urgency, did you not?"

"Oh, right." Rinto carefully set his little sister down and pulled out a plain, white envelope from his bag. Rin arched her head to try and understand the characters that were written.

"Rinto, what does it say?" she questioned. "I don't know what it says."

"That's because you can't read," Rinto said straightforwardly. "It says, '**To Kagamine Yumi**'." He ran over and slapped the letter on the counter, creating a loud _SLAP!_ Rin felt her skin crawl, the sound reminding her of _him_ slapping Mother.

"Rinto, we do not slap letters on the counter," Yumi scolded, ripping it open. Her eyes scanned the contents of the paper as Rinto dropped his bag beside the couch. He ruffled his sister's hair and smiled.

"How's my favorite sister doing?" he asked. Rin pretended to roll her eyes.

"I'm your _only sister_, Rinto," she told him, trying to hide her smile.

"Rin, Rinto!" she heard her mother called. The siblings' heads immediately turned, their attention captured.

"Yes, Mommy?" Rin replied back.

"Yeah, Mom?" Rinto asked.

"The letter is from Yua and her husband, and they're inviting us to dinner in three days. Do you want to go?"

_Again!_ Rin yelled in her mind. _I'm not ready!_

"Sure," Rinto answered. "I don't know."

"And you, Rin?" Yumi looked at her daughter.

"...All right."

* * *

><p>Okay, I worked on this chapter a little bit more, despite how short it is (2,000 WORDS AGAIN I AM DISAPPOINTED). I was originally going to put something in, but I thought it was too early because it's only chapter 3. EXPECT SOMETHING AWESOME (or bad) SOON. I think you'll like it.<p>

Also, FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER FOR UPDATES BECAUSE I WILL POST THEM ON THERE. Yes, you need to REQUEST, but hey, AT LEAST YOU'RE INFORMED IF IT'LL BE LATE OR NOT! It's a win-win, no?

Thank you for reading and again, I'm sorry for the late update! Please review because I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading them and it's what keeps me going!


	4. Leaving

Rin had no idea what kind of life Len lived. He didn't seem to be the poor type (his clothes were nice and not torn or muddy), nor did he fit the ordinary kind of living (like her...somewhat). All she knew was that he was a nice boy, and a trustworthy person. Kind of like those princes in the picture books Rinto read to her some times. So, she imagined Len to be rich, with a two-story house, a large garden with colorful, vibrant flowers, and maybe a butler or a maid or two. Maybe even he had a big horse and a fire-breathing dragon?

...He met the second expectation: Living in a regular, one-story house, no lawn or garden, no butlers or maids, and certainly no horses or dragons. For the first several minutes of their stay, she wasn't sure if she was disappointed or not. But, this was fixed when she and Len sat in the living room played with the gravity-defying hair bow that Rin was wearing.

Fact: Her bow rose right up, no matter which way she or Len bent it.

.

.

_After dinner..._

.

.

"...and if you need any help finding work, you can come with me," Yua said, pausing to sip her tea. "I work at this nice building..."

"Rin, Rin," Len called loudly. She blinked and turned back to Len, who gestured her to follow him. They stood and walked down the hall, with Len shouting back, "Mother, we're going to play in my room!"

"Play nicely, all right?" Yua shouted. Len nodded, opening the first door on the right. The two went inside and Len closed the door. He waved both hands to both sides of the room, indicating for Rin to sit anywhere he liked.

Rin took a quick look around the place as she moved forward. A yellow bed sat in the upper left corner, and on the other side was a mahogany brown desk with a matching chair. A tall bookcase was next to the desk, cluttered with thin books, thick books, short books, and much more. Sitting to the left of Len was a closed toy box. To be honest, she thought his room was a little plain, but made no comment as she sat on the chair. Len plopped down on his bed, messing up the covers. They both stay silent for quite a while, unsure as to start off a conversation.

"...Did you tell anybody?" Rin soon blurted, shocking both herself and Len. She clamped her hands over her mouth, but it was useless. She pulled her hands away and added, "Did you tell anybody about him? Did you?"

"N-no..." Len said quietly. "Why? Did you think I was going to tell everybody?"

"...No," Rin replied, standing. She nervously clutched the skirts of her white dress, turning it every this way and that. Her hands were starting to quiver a bit more than she would have liked. "I just thought you might tell, because I don't I'm supposed to. My mom doesn't, and Rinto doesn't. I don't think they want to remember what happened." She paused, remembering the tears that had been shed. Len stayed silent, quietly observing. "But my mom and brother cried when he left."

"Did you?" Len asked. Rin shook her head.

"No. Because I don't understand. I'm only four, you know? But I'm a little smarter than some kids my age...I think. That's what Mommy says."

"..."

"Sorry. This a lot of stuff to take in."

"No. Not really. Just because I'm four-years-old, it doesn't meant I can't understand much." Len grinned when Rin raised her eyebrows. "My mom and dad always say that I'm too young to understand a lot at my age. Funny, isn't it?"

_Too young...I wonder if that's true?_

"But there's a bit of truth, isn't there?" Rin muttered quietly, "because I don't get it at all."

"Don't worry, you'll be able to figure it out soon enough," Len replied, jumping off the bed. "If you need any help, you can ask me, or your brother. You know, since we're four and all."

"Doesn't that count for you too?"

"I'm different."

"No."

"Are you sure? I can help you if you need it."

"No!"

"Hm...?"

"I can think by myself! I can figure it out on my own!"

Len smiled and gave a small chuckle.

"Nobody said you couldn't."

.

.

.

_4 months later..._

.

"What do you mean we're moving!" Rinto screeched. "Why?"

"I found a good job in another city," Yumi said, slicing cucumbers. The sound of a blade hitting wood filled the silence. "I'll be able to support us all."

"Moving...?" Rin breathed. _I won't get to see Len and Neru again...?_

"I don't wanna leave!" Rinto shrilled, stomping his feet.

"Don't worry, we move in one year. Give you plenty of time to to remember this place while it lasts."

"Well, are we gonna come back?"

"Yes."

"When?"

.

.

.

"You can't go!" Neru cried loudly, hugging Rin and sobbing all at once. "You can't go! We're friends, aren't we? We're friends! Didn't you have fun with us? Len, tell her! She can't go!"

Len closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering. "...Neru, we can't stop her. This was decided by her mother."

"Nooo! Rin, don't leave us! We're your friends!" Neru shouted. "Don't go! Don't go!"

"We're going to miss you when the time comes," Len told Rin.

.

.

.

**One year later...**

.

.

.

"Rin, Rinto, it's time to say good bye," Yumi said, shivering from the harsh winds of a winter morning. Several bags sat around the trio, waiting patiently for their owners to bid farewell. "We have to leave soon."

"I don't wanna go!" Rinto shrieked, stomping his feet. "I want to stay here!"

"Mommy, we can stay, can't we?" Rin asked, squeezing her stuffed bunny doll. "We can still stay?"

"I'm afraid not, Rin," their mother replied sadly. She turned over to her son, who slowly lifted up a fist. Quickly, the older woman marched over and gripped tightly on his wrist. It almost sounded like a sharp slap.

"Ow!"

"Rinto, no," Yumi said in an exasperated tone. "Whether you two like it or not, we are leaving. You've known this for several months. You knew what was going to happen."

"You're just doing this because _he's_ gonna be where we're going!" Rinto angrily spat, pulling back his hand. "You're still not over him all this time—"

_The sharp sound reverberated in the air._

"Rinto, that's enough," Yumi bitterly told him. "No more talk out of you. You are to stay silent until the carriage comes."

He turned, cupping his hand over his red cheek. Rin quietly took his free hand and slowly touched his cheek. Almost immediately, she pulled it back, shocked from the heat giving off and how throbbing it was. _Mommy never hit us before..._ Rin whispered in her mind, eyes wide. _Mommy never hit us..._ She squeezed the bunny even more, almost as if she were trying to choke the poor thing.

_It's almost like 'he' is here again._

Rinto bent down to both knees and pulled his hands away. Then, slowly, quietly, he wrapped one arm around her, and the other on her back legs. He quickly stood up, carrying Rin with him.

"It's going to be all right," he whispered. After a quick glance at their mother, who was looking the other way, he started spinning, just enough for Rin to reach her arm up and open her mouth in an O shape. "It's going to be all right."

"I know...I'll be fine," Rin said quietly, lowering her arm. "Rinto, you still have to go to...what was it called? School?"

"Yeah. I still need to go to school," her older brother replied solemnly. "I'm going to miss all of my friends."

_Friends..._

_Akita Neru and Kagamine Len._

"I'm going to miss my friends too," Rin told him. Rinto tried to smile, but all he could managed was pained expression, looking as if he would cry any moment.

"I told my friends good bye. They gave me some stuff to remember them. Like photos and a soccer ball..." His voice drifted off. His face took on a look, one that could only be described as nostalgic. "I'm really going to miss them."

Rin was silent.

"Did you get anything from Neru and Len?"

Slowly, ever so slowly, Rin shook her head.

"You didn't? I thought they would..." Rinto muttered thoughtfully. "Did you at least tell them good bye?"

Rin hung her head.

"Rin...you didn't..."

_I never told them. I didn't want them to be so sad..._

"Oh, the carriage is here," Yumi announced. "Kids, it's time to go."

Rinto set Rin down, and they both gathered their bags. They tossed their things in first ("Don't throw them so casually!"), then Rinto entered the carriage first, sitting far on the other side. Rin took a second to admire the dark red transportation, with its fancy carvings and fine exterior. The driver, a tall man with a bushy mustache, tipped his hat when he saw her examining the handsome horses. Rin quickly gave a low bow and entered the carriage. Her mother followed behind her, closing the door. The little girl sat across from Yumi, and Rinto slowly inched over, until he sat side-by-side with Rin. She looked out the glass-less window, taking one last look at the house of memories.

_Is this how things are going to end?_ Rin questioned. _Everything, gone in a snap?_

"This is so exciting," Yumi muttered to herself, feeling the white silk curtains. Rin closed her eyes as the carriage started to move.

"Oi! Can you stop for a moment?" a voice shrieked with urgency, "I said STOP!"

The carriage obediently came to a halt.

"What's going on out there?" Yumi sighed exasperatedly. "I'll go check it out. Rin, Rinto, stay here."

She opened the door and began to step out.

"Rin!" two voices cried out.

"Ah!" Rin gasped. "Neru! Len!"

Indeed, it was. Neru with her short side-ponytail, and Len with his tiny ponytail stood at the base of the carriage. Both of them were breathing heavily, as if they had been running for quite some time. Rin quietly stood, tempted to jump down, but she couldn't. They had to leave soon.

"...Go ahead," Yumi said, giving her daughter a gentle push. "We'll wait."

Rin jumped off and took one look at her mother, who waved her hand. She turned back to face Neru and Len.

"What happened?"

"We ran over here to come see you off—" Neru began.

"No, I mean...how did you get here? And how did you know I was leaving today?"

"Our parents," Len answered. "You never told us when you were leaving, so we asked."

"So you came here on your own?" Rin asked, flabbergast.

"Nope! Our parents came with us!" Neru exclaimed, waving to three parents nearby. They waved back, smiling.

"Why aren't they coming over?"

"They already said good bye to your mother," Len answered.

"I can't believe you didn't tell us, though!" Neru cried, starting to sob. She wiped her eyes, trying to rid any evidence of tears. "That was mean! It's bad when you don't tell us, don't you know that?"

"I didn't want you two to be sad," Rin said quietly.

"It was nice to think of our feelings," Len replied, "but it would be worse if you had left without saying anything. We wouldn't have had a proper farewell."

"Also, we brought presents!" Neru brought out a small bag from behind her, handing it to Rin, who took out one of the several presents stuffed in the paper bag. A brown leather book with the characters "ALBUM."

"What's this?"

"It's a bunch of photos of us!" Neru exclaimed, flipping the book open. She pointed to one of herself, Len, and Rin together outside, smiling and waving. "See?"

Len pulled out three little dolls from the bag and showed it to Rin. "Look. Notice anything?"

"Ah! It's us!" Rin exclaimed. The dolls, so carefully stitched, were obviously hand-made, with the woven hair and knitted clothing, they resembled the three of them so remarkably well.

"In case you need a hug once in a while," Neru explained, smiling brightly. Rin nodded.

"Thank you, Neru, Len. I love these. I won't forget about you, ever."

"You better! Or else I won't forgive you!"

"...Well, I think it's time for you to go," Len muttered. "We held you here long enough."

"Oh...then, I'll see you soon, Rinnie," Neru said quietly, squeezing her friend with a hug. She let go to let Len hug her next, and then, all three of them. "I'm really going to miss you."

"I'm glad we're friends, Rin," Len told her.

"Me too, you guys," Rin sobbed, wiping her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much..."

Len and Neru waved as she climbed back into the carriage. They still kept waving, even when it started off. This did not hinder them as they started running, wanting to see her one last time, Rin waved back, watching them shout their good byes one last time and try to keep up.

Then, just before they were out of sight:

"_Good bye, Neru! Good bye, Len! I'll see you guys again soon! Just wait and see!_"


	5. Coming Home

**-Ten years later-**

Yumi, a middle-aged woman, stepped out of a horse carriage, carrying four bags of luggage. Following silently behind were two teenagers who carried their own bags. The woman looked back, making a quick check to see that everybody had their things. Then, with a wave of her hand, the carriage began heading back. The group of three watched as it rolled off into the distance, slowly heading into the market. The wheels kicked up clouds of dust and dirt that lingered in the cold morning air, which caused the three to quickly wave it away. Then, once the carriage was completely out of sight, Yumi exhaled and turned to face the teenagers. She fixed a stray blond hair that flew around the taller one's face, his loose tie, and told him to make sure his pants didn't get dirty. To his younger sibling, Yumi brushed off the dirt and dust on the back of the shirt. The child properly readjusted the light grey paperboy hat.

The wind started to pick up, whipping Yumi's blond hair around her face. She took out a hair band and tied it into a low ponytail.

"Do you remember what we discussed in the carriage?" she asked quietly, as if trying not to disturb the world. "If so, please tell me."

"Yes, Mother," they replied, just as quietly. The older child spoke up first. His voice echoed in the air.

"Never tell anybody about the 'incident,'" he told her. "Don't breathe a word of this to anybody."

The wind grew stronger. His hair flew around as his sibling held onto the hat.

"Good, Rinto," she said. Her head nodded towards the smaller teenager, who stepped up. Then, the wind whirled around, causing the hat to fly off, letting golden curls fly around her face.

"Don't let anybody find out that I am a girl," Rin told her, ignoring her hair furiously blowing with the wind. "Spread the rumor that Rin has died, and you were having a child before this happened."

I clenched my hand and hung my head, letting my hair hide the shame I felt as her older brother. I said I would always protect, but then this happens...

"And your name will be...?" Yumi asked, urging my little sister on. "What is your name?"

Rin left to retrieve the hat, but only for a brief moment. When she came back, most of her hair was stuffed in it, only letting a few coils of hair pop out under the brim. Like this, she could have passed for a regular boy, not a girl masquerading as one. A completely normal, regular guy that played sports and went to school, never doing any of the things girls had to learn.

His little sister, his dear little sister was growing up into a different person. She no longer wore the hair accessories that man gave her. Instead, she opted for the hat Rinto had gave her when he saw how strong the sun's rays were. She wore it every day, no matter the weather. Her brother couldn't help but feel flattered, seeing how much use she got out of the thing. But then, that treasured hat became more of a transformation for her, to transition from a girl to a boy and vice versa.

_I hate this. I hate it all,_ he hissed in his head.

"My name is Kagamine Ryuu."

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_Six years ago..._

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"Rin, it's time to go," Yumi sighed exasperatedly. Her body was clad in a light yellow dress, and placed on her head was a matching sun hat. She impatiently tapped her foot, waiting for her young daughter to pull herself away from Rinto. Unfortunately, the child was feeling quite stubborn today, as she defiantly shook her head. "Rin, please. You're distracting Rinto away from his studies."

"Nah, it's all right," Rinto said, waving her off. "She's not bothering me; I like spending time with my cute sister."

"Rinto, focus on your work," Yumi reprimanded. "Rin, let's go."

"Just let her," he insisted. "Besides, I like the company."

"Please?" Rin pleaded, hugging her brother. "I won't bother him, I promise."

"...All right, all right, fine," Yumi replied tiredly. "Rin, don't bother your brother, and Rinto, watch the house, OK? Don't let any strangers inside, no, scratch that; don't answer the door until I come back." The two siblings nodded. "Good. I'll be back in one hour." And with that, she closed the door behind her.

"Rinto, what's this?" Rin immediately asked, pointing to his papers.

"Algebra. It's adding up numbers and subtracting them," he explained, scribbling down an answer. "It's also dividing and multiplying."

_Scritch, scritch._

"Mm..." Rin hummed quietly, staring at the pencil making marks on paper. "This is for 'school,' right?"

"Yep."

"Is it fun?"

"I guess. I get to see my friends, but I don't like working and doing homework."

"But it's fun?"

"Sure."

"Are there bad people there?"

"Not really."

"Do you eat there?"

"Only lunch."

"Do you make friends there?"

"Lots of them."

Rin paused, as if contemplating this. Rinto went back to his work, filling in the algebra problems he knew, deciding to skip the harder ones for later.

_Number 23_, he thought, tapping his pencil on the table. _(3x – 9)(x – 56) = 0... 3x(x – 90)(45x – 1) = 0... What was I supposed to do with the 3x?_

_Scritch, scritch._

_I wonder what it's like, going to "school?" _Rin wondered. _Rinto doesn't like it, but it's still nice, right? He can see his friends, and he gets to eat there. Is it hard, "adding" and "subtracting?" What is that, anyway? And "dividing" and "multiplying?"_

_I want to go to school. I wanna see lots of new people and make some friends. I want to learn how do all the things Rinto can do! I wonder when I can go?_

"Rinto, I can go when I'm older, right?" Rin suddenly asked.

_No_, Rinto thought. _No, you can't... You're a girl. If you weren't, you would be in school right now. But you're so little..._

"...Maybe," he breathed, turning to his little sister.

_I can go to school soon!_ Rin cheered inside. She looked up, a bright smile on her face. Although, when she saw Rinto ruffled her hair with a sad smile, Rin felt a little confused. _Why do you look so sad?_

_I can't hurt my little sister like __**he**__ did. I have to protect her,_ Rinto thought. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. _My little sister, my small, fragile little sister..._

_You have to learn the truth soon. But you'll find out, soon enough._

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"We're sending Rin to school?" Rinto exclaimed in surprise. "But she's a _girl!_"

"It doesn't matter to me if she's a boy or a girl," Yumi said, scrubbing the dishes. "If I say she's going to school, then she will."

"Nothing's going to be gain from this!" he told her, trying to reason. "There aren't many jobs for girls, and even if there were more, they'd just reject her because she's a girl!"

"That doesn't matter to me."

"Then why? _Why?_ Because you feel sorry for her? Because of _him?_ You think this is going to do her any good?"

Yumi carefully placed the dish down and sighed. She looked at Rinto, who jumped. Her face was remorseful, sad even. _Why?_

"I want to give Rin the things girls can't have," she finally said. "I don't want her to end up being a girl who is only good for housework and cooking. I don't want her to end up like me someday."

Rinto slowly lowered his head. Even though this reason was plenty enough, and it made sense, he couldn't help but feel skeptical. He didn't know why, something just felt...off. As if there was more to the story than his mother was telling. Perhaps there was a secret that she was hiding, or a secret agenda for Rin going to school.

"...OK," he muttered quietly.

Either way, he wanted to find out.

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_-The Present-_

"Looks like nobody has moved into this house since we left," Yumi mused, examining every nook and cranny through their kitchen. She blew on the counter, sending a gust of dust up in the air. The woman quickly waved it away, coughing.

"It's hard to believe we're back in the same house after so long," Rinto said, bringing his things to the old bedroom he and Rin used to share.

"Mother, will Rinto and I stay in the same room again?" Rin asked. She dropped off Yumi's bags in the master bedroom, pausing only once to adjust her hat.

"No, you'll be taking the guest bedroom," Yumi insisted. "You're both growing teenagers. It's only natural that you'll be getting your own room." Her daughter nodded, content with this. She picked up her own bags and strolled down the hall, heading towards the guest bedroom. Rinto exited his room and joined Yumi in the kitchen.

"Yumi, I know you're answered this nearly a billion times," Rinto whispered urgently, "but are we really sending Rin off to school?"

"_Yes,we are_," Yumi muttered darkly. "We've gone over this."

"And I've listed several reasons why she _shouldn't!_" Rinto hissed. "She has to dress out for physical education! She could get bullied and hurt! She'll be the only **girl** there!"

"I did _not_ raise you to be a complainer, Rinto," she said, placing a box on the counter. She opened it, revealing plates and utensils. One-by-one, she began to deposit them in their proper places. "You know the school has given private changing rooms, so she won't have to dress out in the same room as the other boys. This will be like a life training course for her, so she'll prepare to face hardships and cruel behavior. And as for her gender-" Yumi paused, handing Rinto the empty box. "-it does not matter whether she is a girl or a boy. Rin is going to school, whether you like it or _not!_"

Rinto tightly gripped the box, tempted to rip it apart. _If she gets hurt...I won't forgive you!_

_Knock, knock._

"Yumi? Is it true you moved back?" a cheerful voice shouted. "It's me, Yua! Do you remember me?"

"Coming!" Yumi shouted back, her voice just as energetic. She looked back at her son, frowning. "You remember what we discussed on the way here."

"...Don't breathe a word of this to anybody," he mumbled darkly.

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_4 days later..._

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"You're kidding! They're back?" Len yelled excitedly. "Neru, you're one-hundred percent sure they're back? Because I'm—"

"_Yes,_ I am totally sure they're back," Neru laughed, walking beside him.

As Yumi wanted, word had spread that their family arrived back after ten years in another city. They were back in the exact same house that stood near the river, and they were here to stay. For good this time, even.

"I can't wait to see Rin and Rinto!" Len exclaimed, stretching his arms above his head. He ran a hand through his blond hair, which was still up in its tiny ponytail and large, spiky bangs in the front. "It's been so long, right, Neru?"

Neru ran a nervous hand through her own side ponytail. Over the years, it turned slightly darker than Len's hair, but it was longer than before, almost reaching the floor. _I need to tell him..._

"Um, Len, I need to tell you—" she began.

"I wonder if she brought anything over from the city?" he questioned aloud. "Do you think she'll look different, with some new hairstyle? I wonder if she's still wearing that hair bow..."

_No good, this isn't going to work,_ Neru thought. _He's going to be like this until we get to her house and Rinto or Yumi tells him the truth. I'd be excited too, but I found out and he hasn't... Tell him now, or later? No, no! I have to tell him!_ She tightened her fists and took a deep breath.

"...probably should have brought a welcome home present, huh?" Len chattered off.

_I have to._

"I kinda feel nervous now..."

_It's the right thing to do._

"What do you think, Neru—"

"Len!"

He froze, shocked into silence by the sudden outburst. This didn't unhinge her, as she cracked her knuckles to release her tension. They tightened into fists again when she turned to face him.

"There's something you should know."

"...All right, what is it?" he asked. _Don't hold anything back, Neru. You can do this._

"...R-Rin..." Neru stuttered quietly, pausing to swallow the rising lump in her throat. She closed her eyes, refusing to let the incoming tears fall. _Not yet, just not yet..._ Her throat felt closed off, as if something was preventing her from breathing through her mouth. Her face burned, and her body started to tremble. Her head lowered automatically, the tears beginning to fall.

"Neru, what's wrong?" Len calmly asked, reaching to touch her shoulder. He cupped her face, forcing her to look straight at him. "What happened to Rin?"

Her mouth began to quiver, the same way it always did before she started to bawl her eyes out. Len widened his eyes, but before he could do anything, Neru had already begun to tell him the truth in halting, sobbing words.

"She's been dead...before she ever stepped foot back...into this town."

* * *

><p>((OKAY, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UPLOAD! I had it all ready, seriously! I was going to upload, but then stuff came up, and there wasn't time to upload!<p>

Real life. It's a pain. -_-))

Thank you for reading, as always! =D Feel free to leave a review, and please criticize if you can! I LOVE YOU ALL~


	6. À notre prochaine rencontre

"Rinto, fill out the forms for Ryuu," Yumi called, waving a stack of school transfer papers, waiting to be filled out. The oldest son grunted, grabbing the papers and quickly shooting his mother a look. "Rinto, don't give me that evil look like you want to kill me!" He spun and stomped towards his room, making sure to let a furious sigh. He probably would have added a slam when he went inside, if it weren't for his little "brother" just entering the hall.

While Rin had no reason to cross-dress at home, their mother insisted, as it would give her daughter a chance to easily grow into the male role. Rinto, of course, voiced his complaints, giving many reasons for the ridiculousness of it all. Unfortunately, when Rin had willingly began to dress in masculine clothes, her brother kept his mouth shut and stayed silent. Nowadays, the closest Rinto got to a meltdown was throwing looks at his mother, along with the occasional snide remark.

Rin paused to adjust her cap, completely unaware of the lingering tension in the air. Rinto, feeling his blood boil at the sight of the hat, slowly closed the door to keep his sister from worrying. She gave a small frown, waiting his receding figure pass her by. She entered the main room, watching her mother shake her head and slump onto the table. Her long, blonde hair drooped from her head, looking flat and lifeless. From this angle, Yumi looked tired and dead, as if the energy had been sucked out of her and evaporated into the air. Her daughter quietly tip-toed across the room to the door, ready to slip into her shoes and slip out the door.

"Rin...Rin, is that you?" she heard her mother softly ask. "Are you going outside?"

"Ye—" Rin quickly stopped herself, remembering what her mother had said, back when they still lived in the city. Her voice took on a more masculine tone as she added, "It's Ryuu, Mother."

"Oh, Ryuu, it's you," Yumi said, sounding as if she were holding back a laughing fit. Most likely she was just smiling to herself, and for what reason, the teenager didn't know. "Come back before supper."

_I'm not Ryuu, I'm Rin_, she thought stubbornly, then silently reprimanded herself. It wasn't like she could blame her mother for thinking otherwise; Rin was at fault for following what her mother wanted. Besides, as long as her mother was happy, who was she to defy?

"I understand," Ryuu responded, leaving Rin behind to contemplate.

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"Ha...that's funny, Neru," Len weakly laughed, feeling his whole body shiver. For some reason, his knees refused to stop buckling under his weight. He sputtered in his breathing, almost as if his lungs were filled with smoke, and it felt as if the temperature made a sudden drop to below thirty degrees. "For a moment, I thou—"

"I'm not kidding," his best friend coldly choked out. "She's dead. My mother spoke to your mom, and Yua said so too."

"Prove it," Len said. "You know as well as Mom that I need cold, hard evidence."

"Your mom told mine herself," she responded. "Isn't that proof enough?"

"This isn't something a relayed message can prove. You know that."

"Len, come _on._" Neru untied and retied her hair in frustration. As much as she would have liked to give Len a good smack to the head, it wasn't like she would want to. After all, his spiky hair looked painful. The blonde teenager let out a defeated sigh, rubbing her eye with the palm of her hand. "Fine, fine, just come with me." She pulled her friend's arm, leading the way to the site of revelation.

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"Yumi, Rinto, are you home?" Neru called out, knocking on the old oak door and waving away Len's annoying mutters to himself. "It's me and Len; we came to visit." She took a step back, shooting a glare at Len and his behavior. The door quickly swung open, revealing a shocked Rinto.

"Neru, Len...hey, how's it been?" he sputtered awkwardly, suddenly noticing the silence. Len replied, but Neru could only nod and stare with awe as the two conversed.

The first thing she noticed was Rinto's height. For God's sakes, he was practically two heads taller than her! Even taller than Len, who was a single head taller. Then again, Rinto was always tall for his age, even ten years ago. He could have easily passed for a bona fide adult. And his hair was even messier than the last time she saw him. The two white hair clips he wore didn't really help much, well, besides keep his bangs out of his eyes and showing off his lovely face structure. Or to put it simply, he was _gorgeous._

"...doing well," she heard him say. "My mother and I settled in all right."

"Just you two?" Len asked. Rinto shook his head.

"There's...Ryuu, I guess. Doesn't really feel like doing much." Neru raised an eyebrow when she saw him frown at the name, as if he despised it. Or maybe the boy who had the misfortune of being the owner of said name.

"Ryuu?" Len wrinkled his nose. "Who's that?"

Rinto knitted his eyebrows, his frown deepening. Neru bit her lip and looked down. _Here it comes._

"He's...my _brother_," Rinto slowly answered, almost spitting on the last word.

"Where's Rin?"

"Who?" Neru heard an unfamiliar, boyish voice asked. She, and Len, spun around, gasping loudly at who they saw.

Rin?

"Rin!" Len shrieked, rushing over to wrap his arms around her. "Am I glad to see you! Neru and I missed—"

"_Ryuu_," Rinto hissed venomously. Len turned and shook his head. "Len, he's Ryuu. My brother."

"Nice to meet you," Ryuu said, awkwardly pushing Len away. Neru blinked in confusion. "He" was Rin, in every possible way. In the face structure, the hair, even the eyes! Ryuu's face was way too feminine to be a boy. (Sure, Len's face was slightly feminine, but he still looked masculine enough to be distinguishable.) He looked like an older version of the little girl they met years ago. What was Rinto talking about?

"Rin...Rin, it's me, Len," he responded, searching the "boy's" blank face for any sign of recognition. "You remember me, right?"

"Who's Rin?" Ryuu frowned, turning to his older brother. The older Kagamine darkened, looking more pissed than Neru had ever seen a person been. "Rinto?"

"No one! Get inside!" he yelled, causing everybody to flinch. Ryuu hesitated, obviously not used to this kind of behavior. Neru touched his arm, but he didn't let out a small hint of a smile. If anything, Ryuu suddenly looked like the coldest boy she had ever met. "Ryuu! Now!"

Rinto's younger brother immediately scurried inside, not even parting them with a good bye. Instead, he shot them with a disappointed frown.

"...Rin—" Len tried.

"_Gone!"_ Rinto suddenly shrieked, shutting the door. End of conversation. _Crap_, Neru silently thought. Refusing to look at her friend's face, she pulled Len away from the house, heading down the path that led to the grey stone bridge. If there was one thing that their friendship had taught her, it was that the bridge over the river was Len's favorite place to sulk.

.

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_Rin's dead after all._

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"She's never coming back! You hear me? _**NEVER!**_"

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It was only until he reached the bridge that he broke down like an infantile child.

"_Why?!_" Len quickly yelled, pushing the truth away. He sunk to the dusty ground, turning the dust into mud with tears. "This is some kind of trick, isn't it? Rin's in there—"

"You saw what happened," Neru mumbled, staring down into the river. Her dispirited reflection stared back unblinkingly.

"It could've been a trick!" he argued. "That was Rin right there. You saw her! Him! Looked just like she did!"

"Think about it," she reasoned. "What would they gain by making Rin cross-dress? Furthermore, what's the point? And sure, he looks like Rin, but so does Rinto. Besides, it's possible for siblings to look nearly identical, just as non-blood-related people to look similar to each other. I mean, you and Rin looked like you could've been siblings. Twins, even."

"So? Nobody looks that identical! And—"

"Len, give it up. She's dead."

"But—"

"Enough!" Neru stomped her foot in frustration. "Your mother went to see Yumi! You went to see Rin!" He closed off his ears to the world, crouching on the ground, but it didn't matter. Nothing in the world would stop Neru from telling the truth. Her voice rung clear as day in his ears. "And I went with you! We didn't see her! And you know what Yumi said? She died! For nine years now! You think...I want to accept it?" Neru paused for a second, and the sound of choked coughs filled the silence between. Then, in a soft voice, she added tearfully, "You think I wanna...believe Rin's dead...?"

For a moment, there was a pause. Then, a puff of muffed sobs broke through. Len looked up, releasing his ears as his eyes took in his best friend.. A stream of hot tears rolled down her reddened face, her bright smile replaced by a distraught choking-sob. As much as he wanted to run away from this, to run and hide, Len had to face the truth sooner or later. After all, Neru did.

Rin was dead. And in her place, a look-a-like boy with the coldest expression he had ever seen. A total opposite to the bright, warm girl the two met years ago. Len couldn't help if it was somehow _his _fault...that Rin died. Maybe if he had tried contacting her sooner, he could have figured out what was wrong. Or why she died. _How_ did she die, anyway? From an incurable disease?

Life sure knew how to smack him right in the face.

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"I'm sorry."

"How could you?!" Yumi questioned vehemently, staring down her daughter until Rin felt like a tiny, miniscule bug about to be squished. "Rin, you almost let them find out. How could you be so reckless?"

"I'm sorry." She lowered her head closer to her knees, refusing to look at Rinto. If her mother's face was any indication, his was most likely worse. Infuriated, cross, disappointed. Really, how _could_ she have been so stupid? Letting Len and Neru catch her!

_Len and Neru._

She couldn't help but wonder if she still had the dolls they gave her. Maybe it was still tucked away in a box, waiting to be lifted out after all these years. When was the last time she took them out? About five years ago?

"Are you listening?!" her mother's voice reverberated in her ears. _SLAP!_ Rin stumbled back from the force of Yumi's stinging slap to her cheek, feeling it swell up from the pain. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she gingerly held a palm to her flaming hot cheek. Rin's ears picked up a gasp, and she couldn't tell if it was just her inhaling from the pain, or maybe it was Rinto, seeing the punishment take place. It seemed too faraway for her to tell.

"Y-yes, Mother."

"What you did today was very _dangerous._ Not only to you, but to our family. Can you imagine what would happen if..._he_ knew we came back? You need to be responsible for _your_ actions. Rinto and I can't watch over you forever, Rin. You're fourteen, old enough to look out for yourself. Now _act like it._"

Rin dropped her head into her knees. Such a wonderful ego-booster. She could just _feel_ her mother's disappointment choking her, as if all of the stress would be released by a simple lecture. Her arms tightened their grip around her legs, trembling from her mother's words, or maybe the disappointed sigh that seemed to signify Rin was the biggest failure of Yumi's life. Even though she knew that her mother was only looking out for her, Rin couldn't help but think that everything would have been simpler had she been born as a boy. At least her mother wouldn't have to worry about her like this.

Yumi let out another loud, disappointed sigh. "Rin, reflect on yourself. I'm going to the market." Rin mumbled incoherent jumble, which her mother took as compliance. She stepped out of the house, leaving the two siblings to their own devices. Rin felt her brother hovering as she slowly stood, brushing off any dust and lint from her legs.

"Rin—"

"I'm going to my room," she said, cutting off Rinto. Before he could say anymore, she dashed off, quickly shutting the door and locking it. She slid to the carpet, tossing her hat onto the floor before curling up into a little ball. Her shoulder-length hair swirled around her face as she brushed it away. Rin could feel her throat close as she shut her eyes, ignoring her brother's incessant banging and yells.

She just wanted to be alone for a while. And to tell Ryuu to not be such a dolt next time.

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Several days later...

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"Wuh...what are you doing here?" Len breathed, staring at Rin's cap. _No, not Rin._ He looked down, mentally cursing himself out for _another _mistake. Ryuu tightened his grip on his bag and took a deep, calming breath.

"He goes to school here," Rinto mumbled.

"...Here?" Len swirled around, turning to look at the old, albeit grand building. The Saudade Academy was known for educating its young men to be well-rounded individuals, despite having several programs specially designed for certain careers they wanted to pursue. While there weren't very many schools in town, Len was sure that Ryuu wouldn't have attended _his school._

"...Yes." Ryuu nodded, as if it needed his affirmation.

For one thing, it wasn't like Rinto's younger brother was the most sociable, a trait that nearly most of the students had. Almost everybody was friendly, with the occasional moron bursting out incoherent jumble, but even they were still slightly educated at best. In the past days that Len and Neru passed Ryuu on the road, he never responded to their waves or "Hello." Ever. And then there was the hat—it was probably against school dress code—why did he wear it around all the time? Wasn't it unsanitary to keep wearing it every day? Plus, there was how Ryuu always seemed to look down— Len gave himself a mental punch to the face. He really needed to stop judging Ryuu. Maybe it was because Ryuu and Rin looked so similar. Or maybe Len was just crazy. Either one worked.

"W-well...good to know. I guess," he sputtered. Rinto checked his watch, then turned back to Len.

"Can you show Ryuu around the school and help him find his classes?" Rinto asked, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulder. "I have to get going."

"S-sure, I suppose." Len blinked, watching the older brother dash into the building, almost hitting some seniors on his way. He and Ryuu stared around awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. _First impressions, first impressions_, Len thought. "Uh, so, Ryuu. Whose class do you have? You only have one teacher."

The paperboy hat-clad teenager took out a piece of paper and examined its contents. "...Hiyama Kiyoteru. Do you know of him?"

"Hiyama?" Len asked incredulously. "We have the same teacher." _Shit._

"Oh, really?" Ryuu's face brightened up, looking happier than Len had seen him in... "I'm glad there'll be at least _one_ person I know."

Well, it wasn't like Len had actually _seen_ Ryuu smile. Although, now that there was definite proof the stone-faced teenager had emotions, Len had to admit that he actually looked approachable. Or rather, Ryuu looked like a friendly face instead of someone you wanted to cower away from. Funny how a simple expression could change his entire perspective on somebody.

"Ha ha, sure. Just follow me." Len led the way, leaving for Ryuu to quickly scamper along. They traversed into the school, ignoring the stares and hushed gossipers. In an effort to get along, Len offered up breathless puffs of conversation. "Hiyama's a good teacher. Kinda strict, but real helpful. Doesn't give us a lot of work to do afterwards. He offers help during break and after class if you need it."

"Sounds great," Ryuu sputtered, coughing for a moment. "Sorry, I'm not used to so much running."

"It's fine, we can just walk and talk," he immediately said, slowing down his pace. The hat-clad teenager caught up and walked side-by-side. "So, I'm Len. Sorry about the thing before, and if I got you in trouble. You look like somebody I used know."

"Y-yeah. It's fine. Rinto's not mad about it. Somewhat frazzled, but he's tired from hauling the heavy food into our house." Ryuu held out his arm and fake-flexed. "I don't have a lot of muscle."

Len shrugged. "Not really into having muscles."

The two walked in silence, awkwardly wondering what to say next. Len waved to several of his friends in the hall, occasionally introducing Ryuu, who nervously greeted his fellow school-mates. They traversed through the halls, passing by boys slowly filling into the building. The spiked-hair teenager frowned inwardly. Was Ryuu this awkward around people? Or did he just prefer silence over conversation?

"...You said I looked like someone," Ryuu suddenly said. His companion blinked. They were halfway down the hall to the class room of the third floor. Time really had flown by. "Rin...was it?"

"Y-yeah," Len stuttered. He cleared his throat. "A good friend of mine and Neru. We haven't seen her in a long time. That's all." _Why is he talking about this now?_

Ryuu nodded. "I see." More silence. Len couldn't help but think that this was going to be an ongoing thing between the two of them. "Neru's the girl who was with you?"

"Yeah. Best friends since we were toddling 'round."

"Dating?" _A little personal?_

"Why?"

"Information makes friends of people," Ryuu deadpanned, sliding the classroom door. Len stared at him, flabbergast. The other Kagamine must have picked up on this, as he barely turned his head and a gave a slight-smile. Len shook his head, holding back a laugh. Either he didn't have the best social skills, or the stoic, hat-wearing Kagamine had a strange sense of humor. _Whatever,_ Len thought. _Works __either way._

"Hey, Kagamine! What's up?" one of the guys called out.

"Len, wanna hang out after school?" another exclaimed loudly. Several waved or shouted their greetings, quickly falling silent at the sight of Ryuu. He immediately pulled the brim over his eyes, blushing from the attention. Len gave him a reassured pat on the shoulder.

"Guys, this is Ryuu," he announced, gesturing for him to look up. The boisterous students responded with a blur of names. Len smiled, looking over at his friend. Unfortunately for the hat-wearer, he could barely manage a nod, let alone a smile. His face was completely drained of color, looking like he would faint any second. Len fervently whispered, "Do you need to sit down?"

"Yes," he croaked quietly. The hat-clad boy cleared his throat before continuing. "Yes, please. I feel sick." Len spun to the crowd, asking that everybody, please, make way for the guy's seat. They complied, albeit a bit noisily, and turned back to their respective conversations. Len just shook his head.

"Is he okay?" A teenager with green hair—Len recognized him as Gumi's younger brother—Gumiya—walked up to the duo, his face laced with concern. "He looks pale. Maybe we should take him to the infirmary?"

"N-no, I'm fine, I'm fine," Ryuu mumbled, stumbling to stand. Len and Gumiya pulled him up, just as the school bell resonated around the classroom. Every student scrambled to his seat, and the trio made their way to the front of the seats.

"By the way, I'm Gumiya," the green-haired student said, sliding into the seat left of Ryuu's. Gumiya held out a hand, and the two teenagers shook. "It's nice to meet you, Ryuu."

"Likewise," the hat-clad kid replied, still looking a bit shaken.

"All right, students!" a man's light tone called out. The males' ramblings dispersed, heads turning to the young teacher entering the room. "Good morning, gentlemen. I hope you're all ready for another day of class!"

"Booooo!" Len listened for the usual (fake) complaints. Some hissed as well, or just plain shouted that school sucked. If there was one thing he had to give credit to the school for, it was that the students were never boring. Remembering Ryuu, he leaned over and risked a quick whisper.

"Meet Hiyama-sensei, no substitute today." Ryuu nodded.

"Don't say that," the teacher whined, albeit with good-nature. "You'll hurt my feelings!" This only fueled the boys' incessant noise, as they laughed and cheered for Hiyama-sensei's "pain."

"Yeah, we hurt his feelings!"

"You're welcome!"

"You'll get over it."

"Let's quiet down to a dull roar," Hiyama-sensei commanded, switching to teacher-mode. Len glanced over at Ryuu, hoping he was getting a kick out of the scene. Although, the guy looked unimpressed with the rowdy class, wearing his usual stone-cold expression. The spike-haired student sighed despondently, wishing that Ryuu could at least try to look like he was human.

The corner of Ryuu's mouth twitched, quickly covered by his hand. _A-ha. He _is _having fun._

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the teacher asked, gliding over to Ryuu's seat. The young man knelt down on one knee, resting his elbow on it. "Kagamine Ryuu, was it? The higher-ups told me I would receive a new student today. Very nice to meet you. Would you like to introduce yourself?"

"Hey, Ryuu!" a student howled from the back. Several followed in succession, echoing and bouncing around the room, back and forth. Len glanced around the area, noting that all eyes were on the new kid. And he wasn't looking well at all. If anything, the poor guy was paler than he should be, a sheen of sweat shining a bit under his cap. Ryuu even looked as though he would pass out from sheer nervousness.

Luckily, Kiyoteru picked up on this, as he quickly addressed the class to stand up and introduce himself ("In order!") so that they could move onto today's schedule. While each male stood and recited his name, Len took a moment to examine Ryuu closely. For the most part, the hatter kept his hair stuffed in his hat, save for the fringe and maybe a few locks on the side. Still, even without most of his hair, the guy's face looked quite feminine, eerily similar to Rin's. Almost pretty... _Like Rin,_ Len thought sadly. Though, it felt oddly nostalgic, being in a room with someone whose face was practically identical to his childhood friend. Almost as if he were at peace. Almost.

_This sucks_, he deemed glumly. Then, in the back of his mind, he added, _I miss you, Rin._

* * *

><p>Well dang, guys. It's been a year and a few months since I updated anything. orz I'm sorry, I've just been dealing with a lot of things...in real life. Yes, real life sucks, and I wish I could immerse myself in writing, but I've had such a major writer's block and it went on for so long... Gah, any little talent I had just went down the drain. Hopefully, my taking up in this story once again will rekindle the writing I love so much.<p>

So yes, I am officially writing this story once again. Still love it, and I want to write it so much! Guys, if you're reading this, thank you so much for (im)patiently waiting for an update. Yes, I changed my pen name because I thought it would be a nice change of pace. Don't judge me. I KNOW YOU ARE!

Ha ha, but seriously, I praise you for waiting a WHOLE YEAR for an update. I know there are stories that haven't updated in years, but I just feel so bad. I hope this chapter will appease you to not be so mad at me. TT-TT Now, for your author's ramblings...

RINNY-BOO! I love you so much, I really do! You just have to endure the pain for a little while. It gets better, I promise! ._. Len, Neru, oh, I just feel for them, the poor darlings. It was a sad "Break the Cutie" moment (I hope I use that trope right) for them, aww. I'm a terrible person.

And now, we must wait for the next update! I hope it's before the end of summer. Ha ha.

P.S. French is cool.

-Ersatz (formerly Cecilia Lorehart)


	7. First Day

"We're home," Rinto called out as he opened the door. Rin quietly fell in step with him, slowly closing the door behind her. The sound of the door closing seemed to stir something in their mother, the sofa creaking with age as the little woman rose from her spot. She gave her pseudo-son a warm smile. To Rinto, their mother ordered him to do his homework.

"Ryuu, come sit down with Mommy. You're tired from your first day, right? Sit next to me, " she said, pulling her daughter into the den. Rin dropped her bag on the ground as she was pulled away.

Her mother plopped the both of them onto the soda. Although Rinto knew Rin didn't mind the attention too much, even she seemed uncomfortable at their mother's rather blatant favoritism. As per usual, there was little he could do to help ease up on the doting; when their mother wanted something, she got it.

"Bring your homework," she said. Rinto listened as Rin shuffled her feet back and forth, a few pages being turned in a book. A little curious, he silently turned his head back.

Before she could even scratch down with her pencil, their mother took the notes out of her daughter's hands and studied its contents. Rather, she seemed to be confused, looking perplexed as she tried to understand the scribbles. His sister glanced around the room, wondering if she should ask for the book back or wait until her mother finished examining its contents. Her eyes flitted over to Rinto, who had spread out his homework in neat piles on the supper table. Though she knew he was busy, Rinto thought that she still wanted to at least catch his attention.

He was deep in thought over his own problems, but the feeling of a pair of eyes staring made him a little uncomfortable, and maybe even a little frustrated. _I'm sorry_, he thought, giving a slight shake of his head. Yes, he noticed their mother trying to make sense of Rin's notes, but what could he do? She was the obvious favorite now. Their mother would start doting on her more and more, and where would he be? What did it matter if he intervened? All it brought was a heaping pile of chores and things to do for himself. He didn't matter anymore. _She_ did.

Still...he could at least try. For her. Rinto's eyes lifted up and met with his younger sister's. A quick flash of relief spread over her face, and the older brother felt a familiar sense of protection for her. It almost felt like the times when they were younger.

"Here you go," their mother abruptly said, placing the notebook back on her "son's" lap. Rinto's face fell back to his studies. He knew what would probably happen next. She would straighten up her back and smile brightly at her child, as if she was expecting for Ryuu to start spouting out complicated equations on her behalf. "Now tell me: how was your first day?"

.

.

_Earlier..._

.

.

"Well, I know we've already met, but my name's Gumiya," the green-haired teenager said. "I hope we can get along."

"Ryuu (_cough_)_,_ and thank you for helping me up earlier," Rin replied, almost forgetting to pitch her voice lower. Her eyes deviated away towards Len for a moment as he passed by, casually sliding from one person to the next. He looked better than he did this morning, where he practically paled in Ryuu's appearance. And the conversation they had before probably didn't help. Why did she ask if he and Neru were like (like, like, even!) that? Did he realize something and that's why he looked bad?

Rin suddenly realized she was staring longer than normal. And she was still talking to Gumiya. Oh, no, what was he saying? Should she ask? No, wait, that would mean she'd have to admit to not paying attention. So much for staying calm. She might as well just come out and tell it to him straight. There was no point in lying, anyway. Masquerading as a boy seemed to be enough as it is. _Okay, one...two...three..._

"I-I'm sorry, Gumiya. Could you repeat that?" she asked, twiddling her fingers. "It's been...an off day, I guess you could say."

"Don't worry about," he assured her. "First day's always the worst. I was just asking if you two know each other."

He arched his head towards Len. Rin felt a thin layer of sweat form on the back of her neck. "Or acquainted, maybe?"

"Ye-yeah..." Rin breathed. She sucked in her breath, her hands a little clammy. _Come on, Ryuu, you have to act normal. Breathe in, breathe out. Like a guy._ "My brother knows him, something like that."

Gumiya gave a small shrug, a sign she hoped that was him dropping the subject.

Would school always feel like this until the new student novelty wore off? Like a perpetual state of anxiety until she was sure people wouldn't doubt her legitimacy as a fellow male?

"So, uh, who's your brother?" he asked. _Okay, Ryuu, you can do this. Be a guy. Be a guy. You can worry about this later. Hopefully._

"Rinto. I don't know if you know him. He's a senior, though, so maybe not..." Rin trailed off. Gumiya was starting to look a little funny in the eyes. Almost like he was –

"Your brother is _Rinto_?" he shouted, gathering the attention of their classmates and a few extra from the hall. A faint "shut up!" was heard.

– _Excited._

Rin instinctively covered her face. _Please don't tell me my brother's..._

"Awesome!" he gushed. Rin peeked out from her fingers. Yes, they were definitely still staring. Even Len. "I'm in the sports club with him. He's like a legend, you know? He's done so many cool things, I just – I can't believe you're related to him. I mean, that's just...nuts! Hey, can I come over and visit?"

"Huh?!"

"Well, it's Rinto-senpai, you know. I mean, he's done a lot for the club, so I gotta pay my respects to him, you know? So, can I?"

"U-um...I don't think so..." Rin whispered, twiddling her fingers as her heart beat started to speed up. She had to resist the urge to look over to the side, knowing the famed brother himself wouldn't be there. There was no way Gumiya – or anybody, really – could ever come over. What if he somehow put two and two together and word got out? They would kick her out faster than Rinto doing something cool.

"No way..." he sighed. He shook his head and looked ready to argue, but he managed to stop himself from continuing. _Oh good, _Rin thought, her heart beat slowly returning to normal. _He won't ask anymore._ "Well, can I at least go with you to see him? I can do that much, right? I mean, I would go myself, but it's kinda...you know..."

_Ding...dong... Ding...dong..._

"Oh, great, break's over," Gumiya said with a tone of exasperated. "Can you do it? Please?"

"U-uh, um, maybe? I guess?" Rin sputtered. Gumiya's face brightened up.

"Great! We'll walk together after school!" he said excitedly, high-fiving her before running back to his seat. "Thanks a bunch, Ryuu! You're the best!"

"No problem?" she called after him. She studied her reddish hand, still stinging from contact with Gumiya. It hurt, and yet, there was the slight pressure of a first friendship that alleviated the pain away.

* * *

><p>Okay, so clearly, I need to explain myself.<p>

Writing has been very hard the last couple of years. It's been to the point where I didn't really see it as fun anymore, and I'm not really sure why. It's not because of this site, or any of the stories I've written. Believe me, I love these characters to death like they were my own children. I just don't know why.

As you can see, my writing has definitely changed. For better or worse? I'm not really sure on that one. The change in styles, I feel like it's really drastic. Maybe that's how it is when you come back to a project you started a few years ago.

My love for writing has certainly dwindled. A lot. And yet, I've found myself at times where I _wanted _to write, and then I can't do it when I want to. It's been like this for the past few years now. and this is one of the few times where I've let that want grow into what this chapter became. It's a little strange because I haven't written for so long, but it's also exciting, like meeting an old friend you haven't seen for a long, long time.

I can't guarantee updates. I can only promise that if I do write, I'll do my best to write for as long as that little spark goes. I'm not sure when the next one will strike, but I hope I get to be how it was before.

Thank you for reading. For those who have waited for an update, I hope you liked this one. As always, reviews are appreciated. :)


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